Layla Moran

The Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 required the Government to lay regulations to establish the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme within three months of the passing of the Act. On 23 August, we laid regulations that will give the Infected Blood Compensation Authority the powers necessary to pay compensation through the core route to the infected, both living and deceased. The Government expects the Infected Blood Compensation Authority to begin making payments to people who are infected under the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme by the end of this year. Payments to the affected are expected to begin in 2025, following a second set of regulations. Regarding other provisions of the Act, applications for interim payments of £100,000 to the estates of deceased people, whose deaths have not yet been recognised by a previous interim payment, will open in October. The Government takes its responsibilities under the Victims and Prisoners Act seriously and is doing everything possible to deliver compensation in a timely manner.

Thank you to the Hon. Member for raising this topic. This Government is committed to delivering the Plan to Make Work Pay in full and updating Britain’s employment protections, so they are fit for our modern economy and the future of work. This includes strengthening protections from sexual harassment and harassment in the workplace. Ministers are identifying the most appropriate delivery mechanisms for the commitments in the Plan, including an Employment Rights Bill that will be introduced to Parliament within 100 days of taking office.

The Government is committed to ensuring that where communities host clean energy infrastructure, such as solar farms, they directly benefit from it. The relaunched Solar Taskforce, which will set out how Government and industry can radically increase the level of solar deployment required by 2030, is considering how best to ensure that communities receive appropriate benefits. Its recommendations will be made in a Solar Roadmap, due to be published shortly.

While the Online Safety Act (OSA) requires Ofcom to establish an advisory committee on disinformation and misinformation, the process and timing of setting it up remains at Ofcom’s discretion.

Ofcom has confirmed that the Mis/Disinformation Advisory Committee will be established by the end of 2024. It will play an essential role in building understanding and technical knowledge of the challenges relating to mis- and disinformation and how best to tackle them. As such, it is vital that Ofcom has the appropriate time to appoint the best possible committee.

Ofsted is an independent non-ministerial government department and, as such, we are unable to comment on its processes or on specific issues. The department has responsibility for policy on inspection and registration, but how it is implemented is for Ofsted to decide and to be held to account by Parliament. The department will therefore not be publishing a timeline for implementation of findings in ‘Best Start in Life part 3: the 4 specific areas of learning’, nor were there any particular recommendations made by Ofsted for it to implement. The reviews published by Ofsted are publicly available on GOV.UK and are primarily intended to help early years practitioners to raise the quality of early years education.

This government is determined to ensure all young people have high quality education and training pathways post-16. To help secure this, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, announced that the department would pause and review the defunding of qualifications in July 2024. The department will conclude and communicate the outcomes of this internal review of post-16 qualifications, before Christmas 2024.

The focused review announced in July is already underway and the department is working as quickly as possible to provide certainty to the sector. The review will look at the defunding lists that have been published and communicate any changes. Colleges will be able to reflect the outcomes of the review in their planning and marketing materials in the new year so that students can make the best decisions about their futures.

There are many qualifications not subject to defunding and which provide certainty and continuity to the sector. These include A levels, T Levels, and alternative qualifications in subjects and routes not affected by defunding.

This government is determined to ensure all young people have high quality education and training pathways post-16. To help secure this, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, announced that the department would pause and review the defunding of qualifications in July 2024. The department will conclude and communicate the outcomes of this internal review of post-16 qualifications, before Christmas 2024.

The focused review announced in July is already underway and the department is working as quickly as possible to provide certainty to the sector. The review will look at the defunding lists that have been published and communicate any changes. Colleges will be able to reflect the outcomes of the review in their planning and marketing materials in the new year so that students can make the best decisions about their futures.

There are many qualifications not subject to defunding and which provide certainty and continuity to the sector. These include A levels, T Levels, and alternative qualifications in subjects and routes not affected by defunding.

This government is determined to ensure all young people have high quality education and training pathways post-16. To help secure this, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, announced that the department would pause and review the defunding of qualifications in July 2024. The department will conclude and communicate the outcomes of this internal review of post-16 qualifications, before Christmas 2024.

The focused review announced in July is already underway and the department is working as quickly as possible to provide certainty to the sector. The review will look at the defunding lists that have been published and communicate any changes. Colleges will be able to reflect the outcomes of the review in their planning and marketing materials in the new year so that students can make the best decisions about their futures.

There are many qualifications not subject to defunding and which provide certainty and continuity to the sector. These include A levels, T Levels, and alternative qualifications in subjects and routes not affected by defunding.

Teachers using the service have found Oak National Academy to be a helpful tool in their lesson and curriculum planning.

Decisions on the future funding of Oak, along with all other government spending, will be made as part of the Spending Review process.

The UK welcomed the creation of the Special Rapporteur on environmental defenders under the Aarhus Convention.

The Government is considering the issues raised in the Special Rapporteur's recent letters, in the context of the UK's obligations under the Aarhus Convention.

We will respond in due course.

The Department is carefully considering the responses to the consultation, and will make an announcement on the way forward as soon as possible.

The safety of our roads is an absolute priority for this Government. We are committed to delivering a new Road Safety Strategy – the first in over a decade. We will set out next steps on this in due course.

The Minister of State for Rail, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, and senior officials from my Department are having regular discussions with Network Rail (NR) to press them for a credible delivery plan for the completion of the Oxford station project and Botley Road bridge.

Lord Hendy has written to you and other stakeholders with details of improvements being made to alleviate the effects of the bridge closure. He and the Chief Executive of NR will come to meet you, and other stakeholders, as soon as NR are certain of the delivery plan.

The Minister of State for Rail, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, and senior officials from my Department are having regular discussions with Network Rail (NR) to press them for a credible delivery plan for the completion of the Oxford station project and Botley Road bridge.

Lord Hendy has written to you and other stakeholders with details of improvements being made to alleviate the effects of the bridge closure. He and the Chief Executive of NR will come to meet you, and other stakeholders, as soon as NR are certain of the delivery plan.

The Department holds all pertinent contractual detail on those companies who provided personal protective equipment (PPE) products that were considered unsuitable for use. Between 1 November 2023 and 30 September 2024, approximately 432,700 pallets of unusable PPE have been disposed of.

It currently costs approximately £200,000 per week to store PPE unsuitable for National Health Service use. The figure is dynamic because the stock is reducing. NHS Supply Chain manages PPE product supply and logistics and they lease storage for PPE from the following companies GXO and Visku (Bis Henderson).

A programme of work is underway to reduce our excess stock. This work will significantly reduce the cost of our storage network and is due to be complete by January 2025 through sales, donations, recycling, and energy from waste.

The Department holds all pertinent contractual detail on those companies who provided personal protective equipment (PPE) products that were considered unsuitable for use. Between 1 November 2023 and 30 September 2024, approximately 432,700 pallets of unusable PPE have been disposed of.

It currently costs approximately £200,000 per week to store PPE unsuitable for National Health Service use. The figure is dynamic because the stock is reducing. NHS Supply Chain manages PPE product supply and logistics and they lease storage for PPE from the following companies GXO and Visku (Bis Henderson).

A programme of work is underway to reduce our excess stock. This work will significantly reduce the cost of our storage network and is due to be complete by January 2025 through sales, donations, recycling, and energy from waste.

The Department holds all pertinent contractual detail on those companies who provided personal protective equipment (PPE) products that were considered unsuitable for use. Between 1 November 2023 and 30 September 2024, approximately 432,700 pallets of unusable PPE have been disposed of.

It currently costs approximately £200,000 per week to store PPE unsuitable for National Health Service use. The figure is dynamic because the stock is reducing. NHS Supply Chain manages PPE product supply and logistics and they lease storage for PPE from the following companies GXO and Visku (Bis Henderson).

A programme of work is underway to reduce our excess stock. This work will significantly reduce the cost of our storage network and is due to be complete by January 2025 through sales, donations, recycling, and energy from waste.

The implementation of the Liberty Protection Safeguards was paused by the previous government. The previous government decided to focus on other priorities. No assessment has been made of the potential merits of introducing the Liberty Protection Safeguards and there have been no discussions about a timetable to replace the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards at this time.

We do, however, recognise the vital importance of protecting the rights of people who lack mental capacity to consent to their care arrangements, and we are determined to tackle the challenges facing adult social care and to stabilise the system. In addressing these challenges, we will engage a wide range of adult social care stakeholders including people with lived experience of care and their families.

The Department is currently considering next steps to improve access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessments and care pathways.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including ADHD care pathways, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.

We are supporting a taskforce that NHS England is establishing to look at ADHD service provision and its impact on patient experience. The taskforce will bring together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the National Health Service, education and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD and help provide a joined-up approach in response to concerns around rising demand.

The Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Berkshire ICB advises that it has implemented a new assessment model within its neurodevelopmental conditions service to enable the team to carry out additional assessments. It has also commissioned a Living Well with Neurodivergence offer for children and young people with diagnosed or suspected ADHD, launched a parent peer support network for families waiting for assessment, and partnered with Oxfordshire Parent Carers Forum to provide a range of workshops for parents.

The FCDO, via our consular staff, is available 24/7 to provide consular support to British nationals abroad. Whenever the FCDO is informed of the arrest of a British national in Egypt, our consular officials aim to make contact as soon as possible to seek more information and assess their situation, including requesting consular access. In the event consular access is delayed or denied, we can raise this with the Egyptian authorities where appropriate.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) consular staff endeavour to give appropriate and tailored support to British nationals overseas and their families in the UK 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. They support the c.3000 British nationals who are arrested or detained each year and are currently providing consular assistance in over 1600 cases relating to arrest or detention. Consular staff are primarily concerned with the welfare of our detained British nationals, and tailor the consular assistance they provide depending on the specific circumstances of each case.

The UK has already moved to sanction those responsible for violence in the West Bank and announced designations against eight extremist Israeli settlers perpetrating human rights abuses against Palestinian communities in the West Bank. The UK has also designated two groups known to have supported, incited and promoted violence against these communities.

The UK's position on settlements is clear. They are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace and threaten the physical viability of a two-state solution. The Foreign Secretary raised this with Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Herzog during his visit to Israel and the OPTs on 14-15 July.

We do not comment on future sanctions designations as to do so would reduce their impact.

FCDO consular staff are currently providing consular assistance in over 1600 cases relating to arrest or detention. Consular staff aim to stay in regular contact with British Nationals in detention and do what they can to support their health and welfare. The UK Government cannot interfere in criminal or civil court proceedings in other countries. However, where there are human rights concerns such as allegations of torture or mistreatment, with the consent of the person affected, we raise these­­ concerns with the local authorities, highlighting the detaining state's obligations under international human rights law.

You asked about three cases:

• The UK government continues to raise Mr Alaa Abd El-Fattah's case at the highest levels with the Egyptian government. We have been consistently clear in calling for his release and continue to press for urgent consular access.
• We remain committed to pushing the Government of India for faster progress to resolve Jagtar Singh Johal's case. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr Johal's case this week (24 July) during a bilateral meeting with the Indian Minister of External Affairs, during his first official visit to India as Foreign Secretary.
• We call on the Hong Kong authorities to end their politically motivated prosecution and immediately release British national Jimmy Lai.

Palestinian statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people. During the Foreign Secretary's visit to Israel and the OPTs on 14 July, he reiterated our commitment to recognising a Palestinian state as a contribution to a peace process to deliver a two state solution, with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.

This Government is committed to restoring ODA spending at the level of 0.7 per cent of GNI as soon as fiscal circumstances allow. The Government will set out its approach to the House in due course.

The application process for British citizenship is kept under regular review with a view to making it as efficient and straightforward as possible while upholding necessary security requirements.

There is already significant flexibility available to those applying to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) whose circumstances have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, they can be absent from the UK for a period of up to 12 months without breaking their continuity of residence where this is for an important reason, which can include COVID-19.

The relevant published guidance, which provides for further flexibility for EUSS applicants who would otherwise have broken their continuous qualifying period of residence in the UK because of COVID-19, is available at:

www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-eu-settlement-scheme-guidance-for-applicants

The Government is clear that homelessness has a devastating impact on those affected.

We need to take a long term approach and to tackle the different factors that can cause people to become homeless.

We will consider these issues carefully and, working with Mayors and councils across the country, develop a new cross-government strategy to put Britain back on track to ending homelessness. This will include consideration of any relevant legislation.

The Government recognises the pressures that local authorities are facing and is committed to getting councils back on their feet, by providing multi-year funding settlements, ending competitive bidding for pots of money and reforming the local audit system.

Future local authority funding decisions will be a matter for the next Spending Review and Local Government Finance Settlement. The department will work with local government leaders to ensure they are better able to fulfil their statutory duties.

The Government’s manifesto set out our intention for a programme of reform to create a National Care Service to deliver consistency of care across the country. We will work with the Department for Health and Social Care to engage local government on the development of this.

On SEND services, we are committed to taking a community-wide approach, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.

We will also work constructively with the Department for Transport with a view to ensuring local authorities have sufficient revenue funding within their settlement to carry out vital cyclical repairs to their network.

The Government is clear that homelessness is too high and can have a devastating impact on those affected.

We need to take a long term approach and to tackle the different factors that can cause people to become homeless.

We will consider these issues carefully and, working with Mayors and councils across the country, develop a new cross-government strategy to put Britain back on track to ending homelessness. This will include consideration of any relevant legislation.